International Fact Checking Network

The International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) is an organisation that monitors trends in fact checking, provides training resources and hosts a yearly conference on fact checking called #GlobalFact. It aims to promote best practice in fact checking and provide a place for collaboration between fact checkers worldwide.

IFCN have a Code of Principles that Full Fact helped develop in 2016.

We are verified signatories of the code.

You can see our applications and assessments since 2017 on the IFCN Code of Principles website.

The Code of Principles are...

  1. A COMMITMENT TO NONPARTISANSHIP AND FAIRNESS
    We fact-check claims using the same standard for every fact check. We do not concentrate our fact-checking on any one side. We follow the same process for every fact check and let the evidence dictate our conclusions. We do not advocate or take policy positions on the issues we fact-check.

  2. A COMMITMENT TO TRANSPARENCY OF SOURCES
    We want our readers to be able to verify our findings themselves. We provide all sources in enough detail that readers can replicate our work, except in cases where a source’s personal security could be compromised. In such cases, we provide as much detail as possible.

  3. A COMMITMENT TO TRANSPARENCY OF FUNDING & ORGANIZATION
    We are transparent about our funding sources. If we accept funding from other organizations, we ensure that funders have no influence over the conclusions we reach in our reports. We detail the professional background of all key figures in our organization and explain our organizational structure and legal status. We clearly indicate a way for readers to communicate with us.

  4. A COMMITMENT TO TRANSPARENCY OF METHODOLOGY
    We explain the methodology we use to select, research, write, edit, publish and correct our fact checks. We encourage readers to send us claims to fact-check and are transparent on why and how we fact-check.

  5. A COMMITMENT TO OPEN AND HONEST CORRECTIONS
    We publish our corrections policy and follow it scrupulously. We correct clearly and transparently in line with our corrections policy, seeking so far as possible to ensure that readers see the corrected version.

 

These five commitments are important to us and other reputable fact checkers. The IFCN has its own complaints function which you can read about here.

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